One For The Money (Liberty Falls Book 1) Read online

  One for the Money (A Liberty Falls Sweet Romance Book 1)

  By Della Waters

  Chapter 1

  Kara Jacobs

  The small airport in my hometown of Liberty Falls was nothing like the JFK airport in New York City. But, then again Liberty Falls, Georgia was nothing like New York City. For four years I had been used the hustle and bustle of the city. And I loved it. I thought nothing could even bring me back home. But then my grandmother died, and I knew better.

  Reaching into my purse, I pulled out the document telling me that my grandmother, Marie, left her house to me. Staring at it, I silently thanked her for giving me a way to stay in New York and continue to follow my dream of being a Prima ballerina at the New York Ballet Company.

  It hadn’t been an easy row to hoe. It had been as hard a thing as I had ever done actually. But nothing worth anything was ever easy. Grandma told me that. It seemed fitting somehow that her gift to me would be the thing I needed to keep down this difficult path.

  I left after my first year of college with high hopes and big dreams. And for a while it seemed like everything was going to turn out like I had planned for so many years, but that wasn’t the case. Instead of learning from the best ballerinas and dancing in all of the galas, I was working at a dinner theatre as a part time performer slash part time waiter. I hated every minute of it.

  But as luck would have it, right before leaving to return home I landed a huge audition with Ruben Langley, the biggest ballet director in the country. The only problem was the audition was for a winter show, and we were smack dab in the middle of spring. I wasn’t making enough money at my job to pay for my apartment, so I was going to be evicted. I’d never be able to survive in the city long enough to get that part and turn everything around. I would have to go back to Georgia with my tail tucked between my legs. I was just about to give up on my dreams when I received the document in the mail. It was the answer to all of my prayers. Now I was going back to Georgia with a completely different mindset…and work to do.

  Rolling my suitcase outside, I sat on it and waited for my best friend, Alice to come pick me up. I couldn’t wait to see her face and give the world’s biggest bear hug. That girl was my rock, she had gotten me through some of the hardest times in my life and-though I had never been able to convince her to leave our country roots and join me in the Big Apple-she was always there for me without question.

  Hearing a car horn, I looked up and saw her familiar green VW beetle. Jumping to my feet, I gathered my stuff and started her way. She had already gotten out of the car and was running to me. Dropping everything, I held out my arms and sprinted toward her.

  “I missed you,” she cried, squeezing me as hard as she could.

  “I missed you more,” I told her, smiling like a kid on Christmas morning.

  Taking a good look at her, I noticed that she looked just like she did in high school. Her blonde hair was pulled up in a mess knot and her oversized red sweater hung off of her slender shoulders. She was always the popular one and I was the loser doing a pirouette in the corner of the party.

  “You look great,” she told me, pulling away from me and smiling. “I even like what you did with your hair.”

  I ran fingers through my dark brown bob. “I needed a change. Well, another change. Besides, you look better,” I replied, gesturing to her with my hand.

  “Oh, please Miss Ballerina. I don’t believe you. How’s that fancy ballet company treating you?” she asked, helping me load my luggage in the trunk of her car.

  “Great. I’m living out my dream,” I lied, feeling guilty.

  I was too embarrassed to tell anyone what my life was actually like in New York because everyone in that small town told me I’d never make it and I would be back.

  “I can’t wait to see you on stage again,” she said, getting in the car. “Assuming I can ever afford to get up there.”

  Climbing in the car, I mustered up my best smile.

  I couldn’t wait to get on the stage again and prove what I could really do. I was good, I knew that but I needed to be better to get where I wanted to be. I trained my whole life to dance and that’s what I was going to do no matter what. I was in town to bury my grandmother and sell that house. That was it. I wasn’t staying any longer than I had to because there was nothing in Liberty Falls for me. Not anymore, but once upon a time there was.

  “Where am I taking you?” she asked, dancing slightly out of sync to beat of the song on the radio. She might have been the pretty one, but I’d always had all the moves.

  “The Inn,” I said, looking out of the window.

  Nothing had changed. It was like time stood still in Liberty Falls.

  I didn’t have to ask if the football games on Friday night was still the biggest thing in town, I knew it was. I didn’t have to ask where the best pizza in town was. There was only one shop. It was like the reverse of New York in every way possible.

  “You can’t stay at The Inn,” she said, with a horrified expression on her face, “You know Ms. Shafer lets her forty cats run free through it.”

  “It’s not like I have many options, Alice. The Inn is the only hotel in town,” I said, pointing out the obvious.

  “Stay with me,” she said, as if that were any better than staying at a hotel.

  I would have stayed with Alice, but she didn’t live alone.

  “Alice, you live with your crazy Aunt Myrtle and your three insane cousins. I would rather stay at the hotel,” I told her, laughing. “I would rather stay at a dog kennel, but you get the idea.”

  “They’re not that crazy,” she said, trying to convince me to stay with her.

  “What? You’re not serious, right? Alice, Myrtle calls herself Martha Stewart with a twist and Eric tried to burn down the high school on prom night. Please explain to me how they’re not crazy.”

  “You got a point, but I still don’t think you should stay at The Inn,” she said, giving me a stern look.

  “Where should I stay then?” I asked.

  “At your Grandma’s house,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  She was right. I didn’t even think about staying there and it should have been the first place that came to mind. It had been my home once upon a time.

  “That’s actually a great idea,” I told her, as we pulled into the parking lot of Landry’s Grocery store, “What are doing here?”

  “I have to pick up my check. Do you mind?” she asked, getting out of the car before I could answer.

  “No, I guess I don’t,” I said, even though I knew she couldn’t hear me.

  Walking through the doors, I felt like I had stepped back in time. Being back in Liberty Falls brought back so many memories, some I would never forget and some I would give anything to forget.

  Many nights I had went for ice cream runs for Alice when her latest boyfriend broke her heart.

  “Kara Jacobs, is that you?” Marion Rodgers asked, from the behind the counter.

  We grew up together and had every class together from pre-K. Our friendship fizzled over a boy. A boy who wasn’t even worth it. I thought he wasn’t at the time, but he proved me wrong.

  “Live and in living color,” I said, attempting a joke. She didn’t get it.

  “How are you holding up? I know how close you were to your grandma,” she asked, smacking on her gum.

  “I’m going to be okay,” I told her, nodding my head.

  “Well, that’s good to hear. If you need anything let me know,” she said, giving me a sympathetic look.

  “You ready?” Alice asked, with her check in her hand.

  I was just about to answer her when Flora Evans walked in loo
king like she had been crying. Flora was the sweetest girl in the whole world from what I could remember. I waved at her, but she didn’t see me.

  “What’s wrong with her?” Alice asked Marion.

  “You haven’t heard?” Marion asked, completely shocked.

  Oh, how I missed that infamous small town gossip.

  “Anderson called off their engagement last night,” Marion said, her eyes flickering to me when she said his name, “I heard she’s completely devastated.”

  Anderson had been engaged. I had to admit that even though we were over it stung a little bit hearing that. I had always imagined that that would have been me wearing his ring.

  “Oh, Kara, I’m so sorry for bringing him up. I know y’all didn’t end on the best terms,” Marion said, being completely sincere.

  “It’s okay,” I told her, pretending like I didn’t miss him.

  “That poor girl,” Alice said, glancing at me and careful not to bring up his name again, “Well, we have to go. See ya.”

  “Bye, ya’ll. Let’s hang out sometime,” she called after us.

  I guess we were friends again.

  On the way to the house I pushed back the pain of his name being brought up. I had gotten good at that.

  Years ago I really thought I was going to marry Anderson Clark and I thought I was going take the ballet world by storm. I guess we don’t always get what we want.

  My grandmother’s house came into view and Alice pulled in the driveway. Opening the car door, I got out and took a deep breath. I found myself wishing she was going to sitting on her old recliner watching her game shows even though I knew she was gone.

  The woman who raised me and loved me was dead.

  “A little help here,” Alice said, pulling me out of my own head.

  Looking at her, I saw that she was inside the trunk trying to get my huge suitcase. It was way too big for her five foot frame to lift. The girl could literally fit inside of it, I knew that because the night before I left for New York she helped me pack and we tested it out.

  I wanted to take her with me, but she told me there was nothing for her outside of Liberty Falls. I didn’t understand that sentiment because there was nothing for me inside of Liberty Falls.

  “Let me get that. You just grab my makeup bag,” I said, pointing to the small floral print travel case.

  “Now that I can do,” she said, picking it up and slinging it over her shoulder.

  Watching her walk to the porch, I took a deep breath and followed her. Standing in front of the red wooden door, I crouched down and took the key from under the welcome mat. Unlocking the door, we stepped inside.

  There had to be at least a one hundred pictures covering the walls of the living room. But the one that stood out the most to me wasn’t the one of me on my first day at the New York Ballet Company. It was the one of me and Anderson on the night of senior prom. Why did she still have it up?

  They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but that one was worth a million kabillion lies.

  Because that was what our relationship was, one big lie.

  Chapter 2

  Kara Jacobs

  Funerals were my least favorite thing in the whole world. So, being that I had just attended my grandmother’s made it even more unbearable. The whole thing went by in a blur thankfully and I found myself wishing I could fast forward everyone coming by the house to tell me how sorry they were.

  Sitting on the swing under the huge oak tree, I watched as everyone in the town of liberty falls made their way into the house with casseroles and cakes. I don’t why when some close to you dies everyone you know brings you food. That never made sense to me.

  I admit I was hiding from them. Having to hear them tell me their stories about my grandmother was just too hard and so was lying to them about New York. I really didn’t feel like getting the third degree.

  “Kara Jacobs, are you being rude and hiding from your guests?” a voice asked, from behind me.

  Turning around, I saw Nate Deeds.

  He was the local rich boy. One look at him and you could tell he come from money. His black hair was perfectly parted to the side and his black suit cost more than my grandma’s car.

  I always thought he would leave Liberty Falls, but I guess being the Mayor’s son required him to do whatever his father wanted him to do. And that was stay in small town Georgia forever.

  We used to be friends because he was my ex-boyfriend’s best friend. And when things ended you can imagine whose side he took.

  “I’m not hiding. I’m just taking a break,” I said, slowly swinging.

  “Are you hiding from everyone or just Anderson?” he asked, watching to see how I reacted to his name.

  I winced as if his name brought me physical pain and I guess in some ways it did.

  “Everyone and I didn’t even know he was here,” I lied, looking at Nate to see if he could tell if I was bluffing.

  “Whatever you say,” he said, smirking.

  “Nate, go bore someone else,” Alice said, joining us under the tree and folding her arms.

  “How are you so good at that?” Nate asked Alice, confusing the heck out of her.

  “So good at what?” she asked, confusion distorting her beautiful face.

  “Killing the good vibes,” he said, turning to walk away, “See ya, Kara. I hope I don’t see you, Alice.”

  “Right back at ya, Buddy,” Alice said, rolling her eyes, “I can’t stand him.”

  She wasn’t lying. Nate and Alice had never been fans of each other. I mean never. They won homecoming king and homecoming queen and judging by the looks on their faces when they had to dance together they would have rather danced with their gym teachers.

  “I know,” I said, scooting over to let her on the huge swing.

  Resting my head on her shoulder, I allowed my mind to wander back to the nights when I would run out my back out door and meet Anderson on that very swing. He told me everything I wanted to hear and we planned out our whole lives together.

  I tried many times to forget our plans and all of the good times, but time and time again I failed miserably. The good memories outweighed the bad.

  “Did you see him at the funeral?” I asked Alice.

  “I did. Did you?” she inquired.

  “No, I avoided him,” I whispered, closing my eyes to keep the tears at bay, “Is he here now?”

  “He’s on the front porch. Kara, I think you should talk to him and get some closure,” she said, grabbing my hand and squeezing it.

  I thought about it and I knew she was right. I just didn’t know if I could do it, I didn’t know if I was ready to face the boy who broke me. But on the on the other hand that was the last time I planned on being in Liberty Falls.

  “You’re right,” I said, hopping off of the swing and smoothing my black dress with my hands.

  Hand in hand Alice and I walked to the porch where Anderson and Nate were talking in the corner.

  I watched him from afar. He didn’t look like the boy who broke my heart anymore, but that didn’t change the fact that he was. Taking a deep big breath, I climbed the steps to the front porch.

  “Hi, Anderson,” I said, causing him to look at me and I felt my heart skip a beat.

  “Kara, wow, you look great. How are you holding up?” he asked, looking deep into my eyes.

  I had long forgotten how blue his eyes really were and that I got butterflies every time he looked at me. His eyes were the color blue the sky should have been.

  “I’ve been better, but I’ll be okay,” I told him, nervously fidgeting with my hands, “Can we talk privately?”

  “Sure,” he said, looking at Nate for him to leave, but he didn’t.

  Nope, instead he just stood there wanting to watch the show.

  “Come with me,” Alice said, pulling Nate by his arm into the house.

  “Watch it. This jacket is expensive,” he complained, causing Alice to laugh.

  “Sorry, Princess,” she
said, closing the door.

  Anderson and I stood there in silence for at least ten minutes. We used to be able to talk all night and never run out of things to say, but there we were standing in front of each other after years apart and we couldn’t put together one sentence.

  “How have you been?” I asked, trying to break the ice.

  “Good, I have my own landscaping business. It’s something I never in a million years thought I would be doing, but I love it,” he said, his smile reaching his eyes, “How’s New York?”

  I hated that question because New York was nothing like I had expected. I wasn’t living out my dreams like I had hoped, but I wouldn’t tell him that.

  “It’s wonderful. It’s everything I ever imagined it would be,” I told him, turning on my biggest smile.

  “I always knew you’d achieve your dreams,” he said, causing my smile to falter a little bit, “How long do you plan on staying in town?”

  “I’m on the next plane out of here as soon as I can sell the house,” I told him, sitting down on one of the wooden rocking chairs.

  “You’re going to sell the house?” he asked.

  “Yep, grandma left me the house, but there’s nothing for me here and I plan on never returning,” I told him, looking anywhere but at him.

  “You can’t sell the house,” he said, shaking his head.

  “And why not?” I asked.

  “So, I’m guessing by that answer it’s safe to assume that you don’t know.”

  “Don’t know what?” I asked.

  “She left it to both of us,” he said, gaining a gasp from me.

  He had to be messing with me. There was no way my grandmother would have done that. She knew what Anderson done to me.

  Standing there completely stunned, I watched as he reached into his coat and pulled out a document identical to mine. Well, almost identical.

  Scanning my eyes over the document, I saw that Anderson wasn’t kidding. The house was ours. As in Anderson and I. We owned a house.

  I always dreamt of the day we moved into our first house, but I thought it would be under completely different circumstances.